Changing OP AMPS on an E-MU 1212m

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

Hi everyone,
I have read that changing op amps on this card results in a dramatic
increase of sound quality. Does anyone have any experience with it, or
simply would you recommend this mod or not. Thanks in advance.

Archived from groups: rec.audio.tech (More info?)

Peter Larsen wrote:
> allenswrench wrote:
>
>
>>Hi everyone,
>
>
>>I have read that changing op amps on this card results in
>>a dramatic increase of sound quality. Does anyone have any
>>experience with it, or simply would you recommend this mod
>>or not. Thanks in advance.
>
>
> I don't know the card in question.
>
> Words of caution:
>
> Generally you should understand a circuit prior to try to modify it and
> more specifically understand what properties that have led to the choice
> of the opamp that is there already; not all circuit designers are baaad
> guys that just fit the cheapest because it is cheapest.
>
> Other components may matter more than the opamps do.
>
> You should be willing to carry the risk of destroying the pcb in
> question, some pcb's are better not soldered on. Do not try to modify
> something that you can not afford to replace if the operation fails.
>
> The wording "dramatic increase in sound quality" is at best a poorly
> defined variable and it is occasionally used to describe changest that
> may also be defined as "marginal" or "modest".
>
> Specs do not tell you how something sounds, listening does, but is is
> probably easier to degrade this card than to improve it.
>
> Msnsearch located some comments on the card at
>
> http://www.extremetech.com/article [...] 1%2C00.asp
>
> - based on those the first place to look for improving the sound of your
> recordings are the microphones and the next the mic pre's and whatever
> other analog stuff you have in series with the signal.
>
> The component density appears to be high, that - and the distortion
> specs measured by extremetech - suggest that opamp upgrading is not the
> first issue to look into. With this card: if you need to ask what to do,
> then sit on your hands and do nothing.
>
>
> Kind regards
>
> Peter Larsen
>
>
Thanks for the advice, you are right.